Sunday, July 15, 2012

I have desperately tried avoiding your contact with my daughter but, alas, you are everywhere I turn these days. In order for Harper not to be labeled that "weird, sheltered child" at school in a few years, I'm afraid your introduction into her life is inevitable and nearing closer. However, before we embark on our relationship and allow you into Harper's life, I'd like to make a few editing suggestions to each of your tales.

- Snow White, I don't know that your cohabitating with seven men at one time sends the right message to my child. Could it be possible that your seven dwarves are your neighbors in an apartment complex instead? If you insist that those boys live in a house together, shouldn't we just go ahead and list a few Greek letters over the doorway of their abode? I'm pretty sure that you stumbled across a frat house and you were, most definitely, shacking up. Perhaps you need to add a walk-of-shame clip in there to discourage young girls from shacking at the SAE House in their college years.

- Ariel, could we discuss a tankini? Your bikini top is awfully revealing. What kind of message do you think your sending? This is not South Padre Spring Break. Have a little decency.

And can we just call a spade a spade and discuss your hoarding tendencies?
"Look at this stuff.
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collections complete?"Um, yes and stop while you are ahead or you be featured on a TLC show and they'll find cat feces and a Thanksgiving turkey under your pile of hoosits and whatsits galore.

- Cinderella, can I just call you Cindy? Thanks. Let's think about adding a public service announcement at the end of your movie regarding bullying. Those step sisters weren't doing you any favors and if you aren't careful, they're going to post that picture of you in your bra and panties from the last sleepover on Facebook. Two words - mean girls. We could even do it After School Special style and have the step sisters appear arm and arm with you. I'm thinking something like "Bullying hurts everyone involved. Don't be a bully."

And let me just quickly talk wardrobe. Glass slippers? Really? With Harper's coordination skills at this particular time, I'm seeing shattered glass and bloody feet in our future. How about a cute croc or even a custom made pair of Toms?

- Belle, well done girlfriend. I'm liking your message but what if the Beast just stays a Beast and doesn't turn into a handsome prince? We can't all end up with someone rich and gorgeous so let's just stick with rich. Perhaps you were going for a Can't Buy Me Love makeover feel but let's be honest, laser hair removal can only do so much. And don't forget that geek is sheik these days - you'll be very in-the-now with this update and you can thank me later.

- Aurora, or should I call you Sleeping Beauty? First off, the three fairies give you the gift of beauty and song as two of their gifts, the third being the deep sleep as opposed to death. Come on fairies! Can't we do a little better than preparing her to be the next American Idol? What about a huge IQ and the ability to solve the economic crisis? Those sound a little more useful than the gift of song. I mean seriously, with YouTube, there's way too much competition and her shot of being the next Lady Gaga is slim to none. Let's shoot for an Ivy League education instead. Much more realistic for her future planning. We don't need another young waitress trying to make it big in Hollywood, do we?

And a sixteen year old that just happens to take a really long nap? Let's get a little more clever. She just sounds lazy to me.

- Rapunzel, don't even get me started with your long, flowing locks. Not everyone can be blessed with hair so until the Squirrel sprouts some strands, you are not welcome in my house.

- Mulan, you're golden. Keep up the good work sister.

- Jasmine, you too could use some help in the wardrobe department...or lack there of. That is all.

- Tiana, I don't even know how to begin to follow your plot. I thought you had me convinced as a young entrepreneur but you totally lost me and your story is way too complicated.

- And lastly Pocahontas, I'd like to incorporate the use of sunscreen into your story. Haven't you heard about global warming and the damage that over exposure to UVA and UVB rays can have on your skin? At the rate your going, you'll end up looking like leather boots for John Smith by the time your thirty. Just dab on a little 50+ every now and again throughout the movie and you're good to go.

Thank you for your time and attention on these matters. I hope we can come to terms but please know that if you begin appearing in my house on clothing, accessories, plates and cups or any other unnecessary form, you will be asked to leave promptly.

Harris is all smiles and laughs these days. He is one happy boy unless he's hungry. He's also super alert and observant. If I'm sitting with him in a group, he'll look from person to person and just have a huge grin on his face.

He's rolling from back to stomach and stomach to back. Finally losing that "bobble head effect" and gaining his neck strength.

The Boy loves sleeping on his stomach and typically rolls himself over soon after being put down on his back. Also since being unswaddled, he's rotating his head throughout the night and the flat head that we were worried about is correcting itself.

He's also found his voice and, whew, this boy is loud! We know Cito's tired when he starts "talking" really loud.

Four month shots gave him a 101 fever but he also caught his first runny nose this week just before the shots.

Speaking of sleep, it's pretty easy to tell when he's tired and he currently has three naps - 8:30am-ish, noon-ish and sometime between 4pm-5pm.

Nights have been tough over the last month. We took two trips back to back, one to the lake and one to Hyatt Lost Pines. Since we either had other family members or Harper sleeping in close vicinity, Jared and I were pretty quick to jump up and given Harris attention so as not to wake anyone up. We also kept sticking the pacifier in his mouth. Harris had gotten to the point where he could go from 10pm until 5am. Once we got back from our second trip, sleep became a huge issue and he was waking up a minimum of 3x per night wanting to eat and also needing his pacifier. NIGHTMARE! Harris hit 4 months on Monday and Jared went out of town on Tuesday so I started sleep training. He was doing great until he got his shots yesterday and ran a fever so last night was pretty hellish. Sleep training has once again commenced and Jared's just having to tough it out this weekend. This momma needs her sleep!

Thursday, July 12, 2012

I've had a few people ask about the apps I have on our iPad for the Girl since Harps is allowed to play on the iPad while I'm nursing. I did quite a bit of research to make sure I wasn't just having her zone out to mind poop so here's the ones that get a Thumbs Up from both Harper and me. I made the girl her own page so that she could easily swipe over to her page and get on any of her apps in one place.

Starfall ABC's - This app let's the child pick a letter and then goes through upper and lower case, words that start with that letter and has interactive games to learn the letters.

Curious Zoo - Curious George is at the zoo. The child can select different animals to help out with

and each animal has an educational video that teaches about it.

eFlash English - For toddler's learning words, this has categories like food, transportation, letters, colors and numbers. The items are shown alphabetically, said allowed and a picture is shown.

Potty Time with Elmo - Yes, we are about to enter into potty training so this app is the book but also has puzzles and songs about potty time. A warning, the songs will get stuck in your head!

First Words Sampler - FW Sampler is a spelling app that let's the child drag the appropriate letters to spell a word.

I Hear Ewe - Sounds and pictures of animals and transportation.

Interactive Alphabet - Another app that focuses on letters, words that begin with those letters and interactive screens.

The Little Engine That Could - The classic book as an interactive app.

Loopseque Kids - Works with beats and music where the child can design their own sounds.

The Monster At The End of This Book - Another classic children's book as an app.

My Very First App - Eric Carle's artwork becomes a memory game. The app has an easy, medium and hard level.

Peek-A-Zoo - Animals and sounds, this app is one of the more visually appealing.

Teach Me Toddler - An app that focuses on letters, colors, numbers and shapes. This is one of the most educational in my opinion. It also has a rewards chart and tracks your child's learning.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

We took a little time out of our normal schedules and headed as a family of four to the Hyatt Lost Pines in Bastrop, TX for our first vacation since Cito arrived. Let me tell you, we are big fans of that place! It's perfect for families and young kids. To have a little get away that's only an hour and a half from our house was wonderful and the place is 100% designed for families. They had animal visits with live longhorns, alpacas and donkeys, a train ride, family bbq's, movies on the lawn at night, bikes to ride all over the resort, horseback riding, hiking trails, a huge pool, lazy river, kids pool, splash pad, horseshoes, soccer fields...I could go on and on. We didn't do everything with the kids being as young as they are (um, obvi!) but we'll definitely be back in the future.

We spent most of our time swimming, sunning, napping, snacking and relaxing. The thing we loved most but managed not to get any pictures of was the lazy river. We stuck the Squirrel in a tube with a bottom, Cito in a tube with me and Jared in a tube steering all four of us and just floated 'round and 'round. Such a fun little family get away.

The splash pad was a big hit

Cito doing what he does best - lounging

Snack time

Guess who wanted to jump over and over and over and over and over and over and over again?

One of my favorite all time Harper pictures

Never thought I'd think a guy with a stroller was sexy but how you doin'?

We love our stroller -it's perfect for two.

"What up Donkey?"

"Hey Alpaca"

Harps going on the big water slide with Daddy

I'm sexy and I know it!

Yes, that's right. He's lounging in the baby pool.

Come on ride that train!

You know you've had fun when you're toes are this wrinkled at the end of the day!